


acoustics

by aphoticdepths



Category: UTAU, Vocaloid
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe-Fantasy, Beign Tianyi is suffering, Ensemble Cast, Fantasy, Fantasy Religion, Multi, Multiple Pov, Music, Politics, RIN IS SO GAY OH MY GOD, Romance, So many ships, Worldbuilding, lots of ships
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-06-21
Updated: 2015-07-15
Packaged: 2018-04-05 11:18:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 7,332
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4177815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aphoticdepths/pseuds/aphoticdepths
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Centuries ago, there were those born with formidable magic powers-the power to control vast reservoirs of magic with simply their voices.<br/>Time went on. Those things became legends, fragments of the past. Forgotten.<br/>This was a bad idea.<br/>But things are changing. The magic is born again.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Tianyi

The girl was in darkness.

Darkness was all she knew. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She opened her eyes, and all that she saw was darkness and all that she felt was cold stone on either side of her.

She wanted to scream, and she did, she screamed as loudly as she could, eyes squeezed tightly shut as she thrust her hands forwards, and...

The world flashed, energy a color of pale blue so pale it was almost white exploding from her, blasting the roof of stone into the air, blasting it into dust around her.

Her eyes blinked, adjusting to the light. Even though the room was still dim, it was so much brighter than the...

Tomb.

That was right...

She had...She had...

She had been inside a coffin.

She...she...

What was her name? She didn't know it. She didn't know how she got here. She...

She raised a hand to her face. It was pale, with heavy golden rings on her fingers. She looked down at herself.

She was wearing heavy ceremonial robes in blue silk, golden necklaces lying over each other, bracelets barely visible below heavy blue sleeves. Clothes...clothes this fine would be put on someone at their burial. But...she had only been like this. No cloth. Nothing hurt. And...

She put her hand to her chest, felt the rise and fall. She was breathing. She was alive. She'd been alive.

She...wasn't a ghost or anything...

Something scuttled over her foot, and she screamed, sitting up and hastily scrambling out of her coffin, her heart racing. Long grey hair followed her as she moved, and she finally stood on the stone floor of the room, looking down at the coffin she'd just escaped from.

A spider. A spider had crawled over her. And more of its kin had spun, spun webs all over the tomb. Webs she had broken in her struggle, white threads fluttering against dark grey stone.

Her heart-she had it, it was there, she was _alive_ , but why-was racing, her breathing coming faster and faster. Trembling, she took a step back, but nearly fell, eyes staring at the coffin.

It wasn't the only one. Oh god, there were so _many_ of them, ringed around her like predatory animals, _watching her..._

The girl sank to her knees, trembling. This was-

She didn't know how long she stayed there, on her knees in the dark stone room, breathing hard, eyes focused on everything and nothing, heart feeling like it was about to rip out of her chest, trembling as her golden jewelery rattled, but eventually she was able to calm herself and sit up.

She...her coffin might have her name on it. That, at least she needed to know. She had to know her name. If she didn't...she...

The girl traced her fingers on the cold stone, feeling the characters carved into it. Instinctively, she knew what it said.

_Luo Tianyi._

Her name. Her name... She tried it out on her tongue, whispering the words. "Luo Tianyi. Luo Tianyi. Luo Tianyi..."

She turned. She had to get out of here.

But...the other coffins.

They were terrifying, but there could be people in them. People like her. Trapped like her.

She turned in her tracks, fists clenching, heavy rings cold against her flesh. It was scary, but, if there was even a chance that there could be anyone in one of the other coffins like her...

Even so, she didn't have the strength. However, there was one other option for her.

That thing she had done when imprisoned. She had screamed, and...

She tried it again. She shouted, but nothing happened. She spoke gently, nothing.

And then...

Luo-Tianyi? Luo? What was the first part of her name?-didn't know why. It came to her, basic instinct, like she had done this many times before.

She sang a single clear, high note.

Light came again, this time far more controlled. She continued singing, her voice rising, and the blue-white light lifted one of the other coffin lids up.

It had moved half to the side when the stench hit her, and Luo Tianyi coughed, eyes watering from the hideous stench. Palm over her mouth, she leaned away. This was disgusting.

Her magic had left the coffin's lid lopsided, and, holding one richly-embroidered sleeve over her nose and mouth, the grey-haired girl looked inside.

What she saw there left her reeling.

A body. A human's body. Rotting, sickening, making her eyes widen and her body tremble, and-

Oh, god, she couldn't look! It was rotting, the skin was green, the skin was falling off, and those hollow cheeks, the skeletal body beneath the rich robes.

She barely noticed the moment when she began running, feet impacting the floor, hand over her mouth, gagging as she ran as quickly as she could. There was a door, stone, locked, barred-a high, stammering note, and it flew open, the heavy stone clattering against stone. She ran out of it.

Corridors, intertwining like a thousand snakes, stone, all nearly identical. Luo Tianyi paid no attention to them as she ran, her blue velvet slippers thudding against stone as terror rocketed through her heart. She ran and ran, not caring where she was running to. She just had to get away, get away from those corpses.

She ran and ran and ran, until she came to a large, intimidating stone door.

The small girl gasped out another stuttered note, the musical sound accompanied with a flash of blue light.

Fresh air.

A deep blue sky, speckled with beautiful stars.

A stone courtyard, all around her.

It was...beautiful.

Luo Tianyi stared in wonder, falling to her knees...

And then she heard footsteps, and voices echoing.

"Yeah, I _know_ , but it was _fun_ , wasn't it? Jeez, _dàgē*_ , you're so overprotective. Can't you just let us have fun?"

"Ling, you still shouldn't be doing stuff like this! Don't you know you're the daughter of the Yuezheng house? You could get some kind of scandal, or you could put yourself in danger, or..." Lower than the first voice. A boy's, maybe.

"Blah, blah, blah! You need to learn how to _live_ , Longya!"

The footsteps grew closer, and the grey-haired girl scanned the area, looking for somewhere to hide. She ran out of her place outside of the door, looking around...

"Hey, Ling, did you hear something?" That was the lower-voiced speaker. Longya, maybe? Luo Tianyi put her fist to her mouth, nibbling at her knuckles, crouching down.

"Uh-huh...should I-"

"Stay back, Ling!" She looked up-

A boy drew around the corner, and raced towards her, a sword in his hand.

His hair was white, with a patch on the right side dyed black. His eyes were a dark green, and his face might have been handsome had it not been dyed in anger. His outfit was dark green, in a different style than hers, but still richly made.

"A-Ah...I'm...sorry..." Luo Tianyi whispered the words, her voice trembling.

"Longya, wait!" Another figure ran around the corner wall. A girl in a long red dress, still in a notably different style than hers, her long brown hair tied back in a braid tied with a red pin. She grabbed onto the boy's arm. "There's no need to hurt /anyone/! But...huh. That's a weird outfit."

Longya did not lower his sword, but he did not move forwards. "What are you doing here? With those clothes...I've never seen your face before. You're no noble from here!"

"I'm not sure...I don't know...I..." Luo Tianyi swallowed. "I..."

"Wait!" Ling-this had to be her-gasped the words. "You-that was a secret entrance!"

"...what?"

"Wh-What? A...secret-" She didn't know. That had to be against some kind of rule. "I'm sorry!"

"Then she's got to be a spy!" Longya shouted.

"No way!" Ling crossed her arms, glaring at the older boy. "Those passages that lead to that secret entrance...they're, like, really complicated. I only found it after I explored for, like, days when I was a kid. You'd probably have to know them and this house pre-etty well!"

"Ling, you...anyway, then she'd be a servant, if she knew the house that well." Longya's eyes were still glaring at the grey-haired girl, paralyzing her, and she trembled. "But...I don't remember seeing someone like that even in passing, and I remember faces well. Who _are_ you?"

"I-I..." Tianyi swallowed, feeling tears prickling in her eyes. She'd cried earlier, during that horrible time in the underground room-that had been enough crying, but she was going to do it again. "I...don't know."

"You don't know?" Longya frowned, face twisting. "What's that mean?"

She swallowed, steeling her courage. "I-I don't know. I...I woke up in a...coffin, in a room in there...I...don't remember anything. I ran out-there were bodies...My-My name's Luo Tianyi. I read that. I don't know-I don't know what part of it's my name."

The two shared a glance.

"Ling, do you remember..."

"Of course!" Ling rolled her red-brown eyes. "Dad drilled that into us, like every day when we were younger, but..."

"Those clothes...waking up in a secret room...Ling, are those passages underground?" Longya frowned.

"Yeah, I think...crap. This is...weird. Like, I never..."

"Neither did I..."

The grey-haired girl swallowed nervously, absorbing her courage. "A-Ah..."

"Oh!" Ling grinned at her. "You say it, 'Luo Tianyi', but Tianyi is your first name and Luo is your family name. Like Ling is my first name, but Yuezheng is my family name."

...Her family...

Luo. She had a name for them. And yet...she couldn't remember a thing...

"...thank you. Thank you very much, but...that wasn't what I was going to ask..."

"Well, what was it?" Ling beamed at her. "Ask away!"

"...what were you saying?"

The two exchanged another glance.

"Well, you see..." Longya began, frowning. "There's a legend about our house. Centuries ago, in the time of magic, they say that the older people of our family used their magic as well as the magic of five with very strong magic to seal them away, beneath the stone of our manor...it's our duty-the _f_ _amily's_ duty-to keep them safe until they awaken."

"And...you think..." The words came from her mouth hesitantly. "But-there were bodies under there. In the other coffins. A body. I opened it, and...it was rotting." She barely was thinking about what she was saying.

Sealed. Sealed by magic.

That was-

It was an explanation. She'd been sealed away for centuries.

Centuries...

Her family, the Luo family. They were all dead now, and she had never met even one of them.

"Then theirs must not have worked..." Ling rubbed her chin. "Longya, how are we going to explain this to Dad?"

"Any passages inside the house?"

"Mmm-hmmm."

"Then...you were in your room, when she accidentally came out of one." Longya nodded, and Ling nodded back at him in response. "Let's go. Tianyi, you come with us."

*Chinese for 'big brother'.


	2. Yukari

 

**AN: On POVS, members of the Main Couples(and believe me, there are hella couples, mostly yuri with a few het and one OT3 which I spoiled on tumblr) will be narrating.**

**Guess the couples!**

**And, to the really great guest reviewer: Thank you so much! Trust me, hella Vocaloids, UTAUs, and Fanloids will appear(though, technically, Alys is a ceVIO).  
**

**If you are having trouble understanding, Chapter 3 is basically exposition, so just wait on it.**

The morning sun shone bright on the mountain as the two girls picked their way down.

"...Yukari, 's cold." Iroha shivered, feet moving surely on the path that the violet-haired girl had found. "You sure that this is the right way down?"

"Yes." Yukari frowned, walking ahead of the pink-haired younger girl. Iroha was too impatient-far too impatient. Even so, she was good with her knives, but why Luna had called two girls from far-apart clans...

Well, she had said it.

It was a great quest, after all. A quest to find a Vocaloid.

"Well, you're the great tracker." Iroha stretched her arms out above her head, following the other's lead, but Yukari sensed skepticality in the younger's words.

Despite Iroha being only a few years younger than her, she proved everything the elders had told her about the foolishness of the young...well, not her.

People had always found her strange. Closed-off. She saw no reason they would say such things.

She was...clear-sighted. Not closed-off. Not strange.

"We gotta go down like this? This way, we're not going to see anyone else-"

"Remember what Luna-sama* said? Others do not need to see us. It will be dangerous. We must go in silence, in the trails unused. Had it not been difficult, I would do this under cover of night." Yukari spoke the words with more venom than she meant to, but it was true. One with magic the likes of which Luna's vision had informed them about would be guarded, and the guards would be prepared for attempted kidnappers.

Then again, they were not kidnappers. They were _saviors._

That girl...the Vocaloid...she was in danger, a pit of vipers. And Iroha and Yukari would take her away.

Luna had said she'd tell them more, that it was too dangerous right now. Just that they would need that girl.

Iroha was silent as Yukari pondered these, until she spoke quietly. "...this is kinda awkward."

"I don't care."

* * *

The sun was setting by the time they finally established camp. This part of the mountain was covered in thick forest, and the trees towered over the two girls.

"...why won't you talk to me?"

"Speaking too loudly may draw other's attention to us." Yukari frowned. "My sword is unwieldy for hunting. If you would-"

"Oh, yeah! I'm one of the best hunters there-" Iroha began, her amber eyes sparkling.

"I'll have to go with you. To guide you. Step quietly."

* * *

Yukari was indeed impressed with Iroha's hunting, but she did not speak as they roasted the bird she had caught over the small fire.

"Sooooo, Yukari. Um...what's the Yuzuki clan like?"

"Quiet."

"Have you met anyone from the lowlands before?" Iroha propped her chin on her hands, the fire's light illuminating her face.

Yukari was silent, hands clenching and unclenching.

"...uh, Yukari?"

San. She'd used a respectful honorific with her. That didn't find its way into the purple-haired girl's mind, though, as she sat, staring into the flames.

It wasn't Iroha's fault. She was young. She'd probably been a baby when... _that_ had happened. And it hadn't been public, either. That the daughter of the leader of the Yuzuki clan had been...

"Yukari? You look...worried! Are you okay, Yukari?"

"I..." The purple-haired girl looked up. "The meat must be burning."

"We...put it on only a little while ago, Yukari." Iroha frowned, the orange light highlighting every movement of her face. "Are you okay?"

"...the lowlands...I...encountered people from them when I was a child." Yukari did not look up from the fire and the logs crackling in it.

"Really? Cool! That's awesome! Can you tell me-" Iroha stopped. Something in Yukari's face must have shown it.

The words were choked in her throat, but she pushed on. She and Iroha were on this quest together. They had to trust each other. Somehow.

"They...my sister. They killed her." Yukari swallowed the lump in her throat.

She remembered that day, those eyes looking at her, tears in her eyes, blood, the blood on her clothes, screaming and crying and running through the trees. She'd been a natural at navigating in the woods even then, and she had made her way out safely.

She had sobbed to Father, and he had sent out a raiding party, but...

It had done nothing. They were already gone, far away, and unable to even take their vengeance.

"Th...That's horrible." Iroha's low voice called her back to the present.

Yukari was silent.

"H-How could they _do_ that!? They're monsters!" Those yellow eyes were huge with terror.

Yukari turned away. "I don't want to talk anymore."

"H-Hey...you can't just..." Iroha looked down.

"Is the bird ready yet?"

* * *

Yukari dreamed of that afternoon again.

This time, she ran through the woods, sister's blood spattered on her dress, tears in her eyes, bare feet pounding on the ground, her hair sticking to her face, footsteps all around her, and she ran on, ran on, her lungs screaming for mercy, but she had to get away, she had to get away from them, or they'd take her too.

She had to run, had to run, had to get away-but the woods were too large, and she couldn't get anywhere, and the footsteps grew closer and closer, and...

"YUKARI!"

She woke up in a blur, to feel her body being thrown to the ground, and a boot landing next to her head.

Iroha stood in front of her, pink ponytail whipping, blood dripping from her knives.

And around them-

Men, hooded, in leather armor, with swords and axes.

Bandits.

It took her less than a second to process this, and by that time, she was already reaching for her sword.

As she distantly saw Iroha spinning, her knives cutting into one of the bandits, Yukari raised her sword in both hands and yelled, charging forward. She lowered her blade, piercing a bandit's chest. Iroha had already felled at least two, and Yukari allowed herself a small smile. The girl was good.

As she turned towards another, raising her sword in a deadly arc, she heard a yell. "MEN, RUN AWAY! THESE'RE SAVAGES! THEY GOT THE BOSS!"

" _Savages?!_ " Iroha yelled the words furiously, and she tore off after them, knives in hands, Yukari following her. Her feet barely made noise as she danced after them, kniving off a man's head. Gravity pulled his axe down, carving into her side. Yukari saw the few of the small group of bandits who weren't running converge on her, and her mouth twisted as she drew her sword, standing in front of Yukari and running one cleanly through. _Cowards._ Only attacking when their enemy was wounded.

Iroha got to her feet, her knives flashing as they embedded themselves in another bandit's chest, piercing through armor. "Yukari-san-"

"Good...the others ran away." She saw Iroha tensing. "No. Don't chase them. There's no reason. You'd be hurt worse."

"...why'd they attack us?"

"They're bandits. Saw two pretty girls and decided we were easy prey."

"They called us savages." Iroha crossed her arms. "I'm not a savage, and neither are you! What a bunch of jerks."

"...the lowlanders are stupid that way."

"H-Hey!" Iroha's golden eyes widened, and she pounced onto one of the bodies.

"What?" Yukari frowned, looking down at the pink-haired girl.

"Check this out." She held something up, a stone...but not just any stone. It glowed faintly with a deep blue light, illuminating the pink-haired girl's face in the darkness.

"What is it?"

"If I recall..." The girl's mouth twisted. "I think Luna-sama told me something about this. It's, like...yeah! I remember! This stone...check it out? See how blue it is. This is lapis lazuli. It's a fancy stone, and..." Iroha frowned. "It's...the lowlander priests and their guards wear it. And this one's enchanted..."

"I don't understand." Yukari looked down at the stone in Iroha's hand. "Why would guards of priests want us dead?"

"Well, we got rid of them." Iroha grinned. "Huh, I think this was on the guy they called the boss...it's a nice stone, anyway. Guess I'll see what it does some time or another." She tossed it up in the air.

Yukari frowned. "...I will go back to bed. It's...too hard to navigate around now. If I run into any priests when we're on our quest, we'll talk to them about this stone."

*WORLDBUILDING CORNER-This sort of thing is different in different cultures in the world that this story takes place in. People in the capital like Ling and Longya use western honorifics, and people from the mountain tribes-the Hanje-like Yukari, Iroha, and Luna use Japanese honorifics. Other places have different things.

* * *


	3. Aria

_**It is said that, in ages past, the empire of Yamaha, which spanned the world over, had magical powers beyond that of any human currently living. Even those who had powers like those these days, the Enchanters and Seers, were blessed with power beyond that they have currently. However, the most famous of Yamaha's magic was-** _

A elbow hit her in the side, and Aria briefly put down her book, biting her lip.

The girl looked at her, a smirk on her face. "Are you sick?" She whispered the words, sneering in every syllable. Of course, she had to whisper-speaking was banned. Even so...she still mocked her.

The cream-haired girl ignored her, focusing on the pages. She knew this already, but she read the words again, blue eyes focused on the page.

_**-that wielded famed mages known as the Spellsingers, or the Vocaloids. It was said that with a single note, they could summon magic able to change the world. Their power was such that Yamaha was able to take over the entire continent, their power feared by all.** _

_**Then, the Catastrophe fell upon them.** _

_**We still have no knowledge of exactly what the Catastrophe was, but we know that it came suddenly, without any knowledge of it on the parts of the residents of Yamaha. Many legends hold of those from Yamaha sealed by their own magic, but none of these have ever been proven true.** _

_**Whatever the Catastrophe was, we know that it utterly destroyed the empire, and that somehow it disrupted the fabric of magic in this world. After the Catastrophe and the fall of Yamaha, magic was never as powerful as it had once been. Regular magicians-Enchanters and Seers-became increasingly rare and weak, and many speculate that magic will eventually disappear from the world forever.** _

_**This is an-** _

"Aria."

The cream-haired initiate dropped her book. The voice-

She could _feel_ everyone's eyes on her. They were watching her...why did everyone always have to watch her...

Sister Shidou stared at her with those cold eyes. "Lady Mew has summoned you."

She stood up, walking out of the room, ducking her head but still feeling eyes on her and knowing the only reason that people were not laughing at her was because speaking was forbidden.

Aria knew these things. Before she had come to the temple, she had been laughed at openly.

The cream-haired girl stared at the ground as she walked, small hands clenched below flowing black sleeves. She didn't want to think about that her past.

Then again...it was what she deserved. Everything that had happened was what she had deserved. She was broken, cursed-

Aria realized just where she was standing, thinking. Before Lady Mew's door.

Ah, she was such an idiot! She hadn't even walked inside...she was an idiot...

"Come in, Initiate Aria."

Aria swallowed nervously, and tried to restrain herself from flinching back at the noise.

She was...always nervous. Even so, she opened the door.

Lady Mew was waiting for her.

Some would be unnerved by her knowledge of Aria's presence before Aria made herself known, but Aria knew the true reason. Lady Mew was a skilled enchanter, and with her high position...the Lady had every reason to be wary enough to place charms on her door.

Aria bowed deeply. "My lady..."

"Aria." Lady Mew's deep grey eyes pierced her through, feeling like they saw all the way to her soul.

Even so, they were not the most striking thing about her. Lady Mew was taller than most men, with stark black hair and stark white skin(well, what of it remained uncovered by her black robes). Over the black robes that covered her entire body save for her face and hands, she wore a heavy fur cloak, made from the pelt of a great cat and fastened with a sacred pin of lapis lazuli.

None of these were the most striking thing about her. The most striking thing about Lady Mew was her aura.

Lady Mew practically radiated power, to the point that Aria was barely able to look at her. She was terrifying, and awe-inspiring.

"Have you noticed any...changes in your visions?"

"What?" Aria frowned. She didn't understand. "I-my lady, I have not had any visions."

Mew was silent, and those eyes _kept looking at her._ She didn't speak. She'd said enough, and speaking...

Speaking was always...always dangerous. Her voice-

No. That was a secret so dark and deep that she had never spoken of it to anyone, not even to Lady Mew. Speaking of it, even to herself in her thoughts, must make it more powerful.

"Nothing." Lady Mew shook her head sadly. "It is...Initiate Aria. My magic has been becoming more and more powerful since a recent date." She stared down at the girl, grey eyes boring into light blue. "I was hoping that your visions could shed light on this issue."

Aria tried to shrink down before that terrible gaze. "I'm very sorry."

It was her fault. Everyone always talked about her visions and how powerful they were. When a priest of the Lady Aoki had come to that remote village and Aria had had one of her visions, the man had been struck by her power and had announced such magic to be a miracle sent by the Life-Giver. He had sent her to the priestesses.

That had been...the greatest moment of her life.

So to think that her visions-her savior from that life-would let her Lady Mew down at such a time...

"It's all right, Aria...Tell me. What have you been reading on?"

"...magic." She swallowed. "The fall of Yamaha."

"An age-old topic." Mew frowned slightly, pale lips downturned. "And...do you know, magic was said to have been far more powerful in those days." She stood to her feet, black robes billowing around her as she walked towards Aria.

Aria gasped. "M-Milady, do you mean-"

"The power of Yamaha? Vocaloids?" For an instant, Aria's heart stopped as Lady Mew stayed silent, but then she spoke again. "No, no, that would be...strange. I highly doubt it. Aria..." She stared at the girl for a moment. "Never mind. You may be a powerful Seer, but...in this case, your abilities are..."

Aria bowed her head, and turned towards the door. As she walked forwards...

A snippet of a tune.

That was all she heard before the cream-haired girl collapsed to the floor and everything went black.

* * *

_Ten gems. There were ten then and there will be ten now. Ten will be the harbinger._

She saw herself, standing on a cliff with a simple outfit, arms and legs bared and face blank.

_Ten gems. There were ten then and there will be ten now. Ten will be the harbinger._

Fires burning on a mountain, visible even from the distance she viewed them at.

_Ten gems. There were ten then and there will be ten now. Ten will be the harbinger._

A girl with hair the color of lilacs, her face twisted in rage as she held a sword.

_Ten gems. There were ten then and there will be ten now. Ten will be the harbinger._

Flashes of faces, too many for her to identify, but she knew one of them intimately.

It was her face.

_This is your fate._

And then the world went the color of pearls, a light pink nearly white, and Aria was alone in it, and-

She woke up on a cot, sweat clinging to her body as she trembled.

She had to write it down. There was-Yes. Lady Mew left paper every time Aria had a vision.

She had to write everything down. The messages that came in words clear to her mind's ear, the sharp series of images-everything had to be documented.

That was one of the duties of a Seer. Everything they did, every vision that Lady Lapis blessed them with-all of it had to be written down for the future.

Great tomes were made, of fulfilled and unfulfilled prophecies that had been made by great Seers. The High Temple Aria lived in had hundreds in its library.

This would be...

"Aria." The door opened, and a familiar voice-that of her Lady-echoed into the room as the grey-eyed woman stepped in. "I see that you're hard at work. That prophecy of yours...you must give it to me as soon as you complete it."

Aria nodded, eyes on the paper as her pen marked the words.

Lady Mew turned in the doorway, her long black robe swirling around her, but she hesitated for a moment, looking back. Aria swallowed-Lady Mew was the high priestess. She shouldn't waste time on her. A small smile played on the black-haired woman's lips. "After all...you do not need to be a Seer to know that there will be times of great turmoil in the future."


	4. Rin

Rin had no more than crossed the threshold of the palace grounds when the princess accosted her in a flurry of perfume and silk and teal hair. " _Dearest_ Rin! You look so sweaty and tired-come, come, you need to take a bath! Don't worry, dear, just follow me..."

Rin cast a few glances back at her companions from the hunt. The men smiled among themselves, probably happy to see a woman 'put in her place'. Of course.

"Riiiin..." Miku turned around, fixing the blonde with a firm teal stare. "What're you thinking about?"

"Nothing."

"Is it Len?" Miku frowned.

Rin was silent. She hadn't been thinking about her twin brother, but...

When the three of them were children in the palace, they had been inseparable. Sweet Miku, bold Rin, and clever little Len.

Now, however...that was different in far too many ways.

"I wasn't." Rin shook her head.

" _Rin!_ Just look at the state of your hair!" Miku frowned at her, yanking the sweat-stained white band from her blonde hair. "You need to bathe _urgently._ Come on, come into my chambers..."

"Miku, you know, you don't have to be like this all the time." Rin frowned.

"What do you mean?" The princess frowned, before leaning into Rin's ear, and breathing a whisper. "The walls have ears, beloved. And who says I'm not like this, just a little?" She giggled, as if she'd told a joke.

Rin did not laugh. The mirrors within mirrors that was life at court did not make sense to her, nor did they hold any attraction. She didn't see the purpose of Miku's false...persona. She shook her head. Everyone was false, in ways that Rin did not know or care about. Men, women, everyone at court...

She used to think she could only trust herself and one other person. But...her brother had always been genuine, but now that _that woman_ had gotten her talons into him...

"Riiiiiin..." The blonde girl turned towards the royal hanging on her arm. "You're thinking about Len again, aren't you?"

She sighed. "Yes. I am...heh. I shouldn't-"

"Don't worry..." Miku pressed her teal-nailed finger to the tip of Rin's nose. "I'll be there to take your mind off of it." As they crossed the threshold of her room, Miku grinned at her, and began to sing.

" _Nuapurista kuulu se polokan tahti_

_Jalakani pohjii kutkutti._

_Ievan äiti se tyttöösä vahti vaan kyllähän_

_Ieva sen jutkutti, sillä ei meitä silloin_

_Kiellot haittaa kun myö tanssimme laiasta laitaan.*_ " As she sang the song, the teal-haired princess took Rin by the hands, twirling the blonde girl around the room. Rin had no choice but to dance along with her, the teal energies worked by the other girl's voice swirling around the two as Rin smiled.

It was a power Miku had. A wonderful, strange power, and part of the reason the two of them-and Len-had been such good friends as children.

After all, she and Len...they had that power too.

None of them knew why. None of them knew how. But even so, Rin had cherished that power. It was amazing. Miku had always demanded that they keep it a secret, and Len too. Rin hadn't really cared about that, but they had said it.

Miku sighed, taking a deep breath as she stopped dancing. "Any enchanters watching us will just _happen_ to have some odd interference." She smirked. "Now, Rin, didn't I mention you taking a bath?" The teal-haired girl pulled down Rin's shirt's collar, pressing a kiss to the girl's neck. "Why don't we get _ready_ , hmmm?"

* * *

Rin frowned as she walked into the room. She _hated_ fancy-dress affairs, but then again, some things had to be done.

After all, King Mikuo...he demanded this sort of banquet constantly. And Rin knew it did not do well to anger the king.

Even so, this outfit was strange and uncomfortable. Rin would have preferred to be allowed to wear breeches like normal, but this had...

"...Rin."

She turned, eyes widening as she saw that figure...one she hadn't seen for a while. A figure that could be her reflection.

"Len. It's nice to see you, for once in a while." Rin stared at him.

Her twin swallowed, pulling at his doublet's collar. "Rin...Lady Sukone is a good person. I know you might not think it of her, but-"

"I haven't seen you in a few weeks, Len. But then again, the king's holding a feast, so you have to mingle with the court. Never mind that you-"

Len took a step back, holding his hands up. "Rin-"

"Len!" That voice was another one.

_Her._

Dressed in those black-and-grey robes-kimono, Rin thought they were called-that everyone from her country wore, _Princess_ Sukone Tei ran into the room. Her usually-impassive face looked vaguely distressed, and her white hair was held up in a bun with two black hairpins.

She grabbed onto Len's arm with one ghostly-pale hand. "You...has this girl been a trouble for you?"

"Rin's fine." Len began.

"My _brother_ enjoys talking to me very much, thank you." Rin's blue eyes fixed on Tei's red ones. "Isn't that right?"

"...considering the way you were speaking to him, I doubted that." There was a snarl underneath Tei's quiet voice.

"And considering the way you've been speaking to him, I think he has every right to make his own decisions." Conniving, manipulative-

"Uh." Len swallowed. "I-Why don't you both calm down? Rin...we'll go and sit together. After all, I mean, we were meant to sit together" He took her by the hand, and they walked off.

Rin wasn't very good at watching people or judging their feelings, but she could feel eyes burning into her back, and she had a hunch they were red.

"Len." Rin sat next to him, blue eyes narrowed. "What in the world are you thinking?"

"I don't know what you mean."

"Not only did you fucking-"

"Rin, watch your _language_."

"Shut the fuck up. You've been acting like I don't exist, I get to yell at you. Len, we're _twins_! And you've been betraying me to cavort with that madwoman. She's not even from this country! You _know_ she's got a grudge against us after what we did to Iawe-she's probably planning to kill you when you sleep!"

"Don't you dare say that!" Heads turned to them as her brother jumped to his feet, but Len did not quiet down. "You don't know a _thing_ about Tei! If you knew her, then you'd-"

"People of Yamaha!" The voice echoed out through the room, and Rin stood to curtsy as Len quietly bowed. She'd prefer to bow, but she did have to wear a dress at times like this.

King Mikuo held out his arms. The teal-haired man sat at the center of the room, surrounded by his family and his council. There was his wife, Queen Lenka and his daughter Miku, sitting on either side. At the edges of the table sat High Priestess Mew, Guard Captain Yuuma, Princess Tei(who held a place of honor because she might be from another country, but she was still a princess), and his councilors Akiko, Mizki, and Akira.

"Today, in the name of our high Lady of Life, the goddess Aoki, we shall feast in the eyes of the gods. May the Azure Queen bless us with great health, and bless the fields that bring us this meal. Amen!" King Mikuo grinned.

He was...jovial, they all knew. And all-particularly Lady Lenka-knew that he had many affairs with women of all classes. Fortunately, his daughter was nothing like him.

Rin didn't have any affinity or interest in politics, but she was sure that her love would be a greater ruler than her father.

"Amen." they all chorused, and the feast began.

*These are the original lyrics of the song Ievan Polkka. The Vocaloid version we all know and love or not is basically just nonsense.


	5. Tianyi

**!**

Tianyi stared at her plate. What was this, the twentieth course of this meal? There was so much food. Tianyi didn't eat much of any of the courses, but...

Ling giggled, a hand to her mouth as she turned from the girl she had been talking with happily. "This sure is a lot of food, isn't it?"

"Y-Yes..." Why had Tianyi even come here?

She remembered, of course.

Ling had insisted. "Since the king's holding a banquet tonight, my _cousin_ really should come, shouldn't she?" The brunette had giggled, poking Tianyi in the nose.

At the time, she'd simply been embarrassed. But now, looking at yet another course of food in the heat as she heard Ling giggle and talk with another girl and a bard singing in a low voice, she felt incredibly awkward.

...this was so horrible...

And then there was the strange thing about the teal-haired girl, the princess. Tianyi saw the air around her glimmering with an aura of teal that Ling had been confused by. It was there, most certainly, but...

Tianyi picked at the food on her plate, raising the tiny forkful to her mouth and grimacing. So rich...too rich for her palate.

She could only pray that the feast would finish soon.

* * *

When they had finished the feast, Ling took Tianyi by the hand. "C'mon! Let's go...hey, where's daddy and Longya? Hmm, Longya's probably-"

"Your father wants to talk to my father." That voice was a sugary-sweet one.

When Tianyi turned, she saw a girl in a fine grey silk gown surrounded by teal lights. She bowed low, and Ling curtsied.

Princess Miku giggled, the sound like bells. "Oh, my, bowing! You're so old-fashioned! Ling, dearest, who is this?" Tianyi swallowed. A princess talking to her? She-she couldn't...

"That's my cousin, Yuezheng Tianyi!" Ling grinned. "She's from out in the country."

"Oh, that's so cute!" Miku gasped, a hand delicately over her mouth. "Oh, you _must_ come to some of my parties!" She took Tianyi's hand, and beamed at her. "How do you like this city? Oh, Ling and Longya can be fun, but..." Miku lowered her voice. "They're such _boys_! Even Ling, to be honest! You really should..."

As they walked down the hall, Miku filled her ears with high-pitched, energetic chatter, making Tianyi's head spin. Ling grinned at her. She'd thought Ling was bad, but Miku...

Was this really the sort of person that they were going to crown? Thinking of Miku as a princess was hard...

"Oh, and Father's right there! Ling, don't you want to say hello to your uncle?"

As Miku opened the door, the three girls stopped.

In the room, there were three people. Ling's father, the King, and the red-haired woman who had been sitting at the King's table.

"Your Majesty, I'm very sorry, but...it is as the Master of the Treasury is saying." Ling's father bowed his head. "The debts that you have accredited..."

Ling's eyes widened, but Miku shoved a hand over the girl's mouth, and-

She began to chant, eyes rolling back into her head.

" _The blooming flower of a lady of dream, the daybreak in the gutter like the night sky..._ "*

The teal sparkles were floating around them, brilliant. Ling shouted out to her father, but-no help came.

Miku's chanting continued, but Tianyi heard the men speaking, and the words made her grab Ling's hand.

"Well? Spit it out, _Lord_ Yuezheng. I am your ruler, after all."

The red-haired woman's eyes widened. "Y-Your Majesty! Money...money is-"

"Lady Lawson, you do not need to say such things." Ling's father shook his head. "Your debts have been ongoing for six years, Your Majesty. I am afraid that the Yuezheng family cannot-"

"Am I to take this belittlement from an _upjumped cheesemonger_?! "

Tianyi looked at Ling, and the girl's face went white, her fists clenching hard around Tianyi's hand. The pretty girl's face was contorted in rage.

"I could have your family executed in _seconds_ , Yuezheng." The king towered over Ling's father, his eyes cold.

Miku sighed, turning towards them. "It would seem that we should-"

She was interrupted by the furious girl holding Tianyi's hand as if it was a lifeline. "What are you _doing_ , you witch?! What is-" Ling snarled.

Miku closed her eyes, and began to sing. " _Ahh, I have to tell you, but I can't..."_

Ling stumbled back, and the sparkles...went back to their normal size and brightness.

"King Mikuo, I would appreciate it if...oh! Ling, Tianyi, and..." The white-haired man turned towards them, bowing lowly. "Your highness."

Tianyi stayed there, eyes huge. She-what...Princess Miku...

Oh god...

"Hi, Dad! Um, did-" Ling spoke with her usual bright smile, as if...nothing had happened...

"...no." Ling's father looked towards the king. "But...knocking would be appreciated."

"Sorry, Dad! I'll try to-"

"Come, Ling, Tianyi. Let us try to find Longya-"

"Um, Lord Yuezheng, I need to talk to Tianyi! There's _soooo_ much that I need to tell her!"

"...of course, your highness. Ling, let us..."

Miku dragged her out of the room, and Tianyi's heart pounded. What was the princess going to do?

Miku giggled again. "I saw that look on your face. Don't worry, I'm not going to hurt you! But...hmm, I wonder. I've tried that out on some others, and it only doesn't work for..." Miku placed one porcelain hand on Tianyi's shoulder. " _Very powerful mages_."

What? Tianyi couldn't be one of those...

"If you're one of those, then we should most certainly be friends! But, you know..." Miku smirked. "It would not do if you chose to speak about this. That would be /most/ disrespectful to a friend, wouldn't it?"

"Y-Yes..." Tianyi swallowed. "Your highness." Would this mad girl try to kill her if she didn't show proper respect? "Th-That man-"

"My father."

"H-He...he...towards L-Ling's father-I mean, towards Uncle-" Would she be able to keep this up? Oh no, she was such a terrible liar... "He said-"

"That he'd have his family executed if he didn't give my father a delay on the loan payback? Oh, he would, perhaps. My father is a terribly ruthless man. Building up all that money with his revels, spending his time on women and wine..." Miku looked at her feet, teal eyes dark.

"I...I'm sorry-"

"There's no need to apologize, dear. But even so, my father is causing problems. He may drain our coffers dry by those loans to people like your uncle..." Miku's fists clenched. "...I can't just...let him do what he does..."

Tianyi's eyes widened. "Wh-What?"

"...I'm...getting maudlin, huh? And remember, we're friends, right? So...telling anyone about this would be _quite rude_."

Tianyi was worried that she was keeping a few too many secrets.

*The song Miku is singing here is Masa's Nagoya. Which means that yes, she is rapping throughout this.


End file.
